Burner



April 15, 1941.

F. H. WELLS ET AL BURNER Filed Feb. 2, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l 6 Wm m WHB W WPW P M E FRA/v BY K April 15,1941. F. H. WELLS ET AL BURNER Filed Feb. 2, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E SS 3 m v A FRANKLIN KEMP mcflh oo Patented Apr. 15, 1941 Franklin H. Wells and Kemper P. Brace, South Bend, Ind., assignOls-to International Engineering Corporation, Chicago 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 2, 1938, Serial No. 188,229

7 Claims. (Cl. 158-4) This invention relates to burners and more particularly to fluid fuel burners for heating furnaces or the like.

One object of the invention is to provide an oil burner design which will give satisfactory performance in a furnace intended primarily for burning coal.

Another object is to provide an oil burner for converting a coal furnace into an oil burning furnace, the design of the burner being such that it will perform uniformly and acceptably in all the various types and sizes of fire pots apt to be encountered.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide, in combination with a furnace, a burner which will direct heat downwardly to the lower part of the furnace firebox. This arrangement provides more even heating of the furnace and results in increased efficiency due to the fact that it enables a larger percentage of the heat to be extracted from the combustion gases.

Another object of the invention is to provide a burner whichwill direct heat downwardly to cause relatively high heating of the space below it.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a burner in which a portion of the heat is reflected or radiated back into the burner. This arrangement is particularly advantageous with,

oil burners in which the reflected heat assists materially in vaporization of the oil.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

t Figure 1 is a central section of a furnace including a burner embodying the invention;

Figures 2, 4, and 5 are partial views similar to Figure 1 showing modified constructions;

Figure 3 is a view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a vertical section through part of another embodiment.

Figure 1 illustrates a furnace of the type having a vertical cylindrical firebox l0 surrounded by a jacket l2 for circulation of a heat transfer medium such as air, water or the like. The upper part of the firebox is connected to a flue H leading to a stack or the like as will be understood. The furnace is provided with a side open,- ing l6 normally closed by the usual fire door but closed according to the present invention by a plate Hi to support a burner 20.

As illustrated herein the burner is of the conversion type and is constructed as more.

particularly described and claimed in the copending application of Kemper P. Brace, Serial No. 145,706 filed June 1, 1937, and includes a substantially horizontal tube or conduit 22 supported by the plate with its inner end turned down slightly. A hollow burner body 24 having a series of primary air inlet openings 26 is secured in the tube 22 and carries a porous refractory block 28 formed with a series of parallel horizontal longitudinal bores or passages. Oil or an equivalent liquid fuel is supplied to the block through a pipe 1 30, and seeps through the porous structure of the block and air is circulated past and through the block by the suction from the chimney, assisted if necessary by a motor driven fan 32 carried by the burner body, and takes up the fuel in passing through the horizontal passages therein. A disc 34 adjustably secured to the end of the tube 22 serves to regulate the air supply.

With furnaces of the type so far described the hot combustion products issuing from the burner have a tendency to rise directly to the top of the firebox heating it to a high degree but leaving the lower part of the firebox relatively cool. This results in a slow rate of heat transfer to the circulating medium due to the fact that it is heated only in the upper part of the furnace, and in a loss of efliciency due to the fact that the gases flowing out the top of the firebox to the stack have had only a short contact with the jacket and are at a relatively high temperature.

According to the present invention means are provided to deflect heat to the lower partof the firebox to overcome the above-mentioned defects. As shown in Figure 1 such means is constituted by a curved tube 36 of suitable refractory material, as for example stainless steel, connected to the discharge end of the tube 22 and having a bell shaped discharge end facing downwardly in the firebox. A curved portion of the tube wall lies in front of the discharge end of the tube 22 and, when heated, becomes incandescent and radiates heat back into the tube directly upon the face of the porous block 28 of the burner, to assist in vaporizing the oil in the member 28. Since the discharge end of tube 36 is below the level of the tube 22, an opening 38 is preferably provided in the top part thereof to permit rising of a portion of the combustion products under natural draft conditions. This is desirable in starting the burner to establish a draft in the stack.

In operation of this construction flame from the burner will be directed downwardly to heat the lower part of the firebox and will rise around the tube 36 to heat the upper part of the firebox.

Since the hot combustion products travel over a relatively long path in the firebox a large percentage of the heat will be extracted therefrom thereby increasing the furnace efficiency. At the same time transfer of heat from the firebox to the circulating medium will be improved due to heating of the entire jacketed portion of the furnace.

During operation the tube- 36 will be heated'to a high degree and the portion thereof opposite the discharge end of the burner tube 22 will radiate heat back into the burner. This insures heating of the porous element 28 and assists in proper vaporization of the oil and in the combustion thereof.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a'modified'construction including a flat deflector plate 40' having down-turned edges secured to the tube 22 and extending outwardly therefrom.. A second. do.- flector member 42 is secured to the lower part of tube 22 and has a reflector portion 44- lying in front of the dischargeend of the .tube '22.

Inpperationof thisformtheplate 40 deflects heat to the. lower. part .of..the. firebox and portion t iof the. member 52 serves to radiateheat back into the burner.

Inthe. embodiment of Figure 4 a..single plate dfizhavingma.down-turned.flange 48 is secured to the upper. part of ,the burner tube. 22 withthe flange 48 .lying. in front of;the.burner tubev discharge end. Both plate 46. and flange 48 deflect heat .to. the lower part ofthefireboxand at the sametime the flange 48 serves to radiate heat back into the burner.

The embodiment. of Figurefiincludes a curved tube 50: secured to the end of burner tube: 22 with its discharge end facing up. A deflectordisc is secured over the. end of tubeEll in spaced relationship thereto as by means of a supporting rod 54. The disc fi2'serves to deflect heat rising through tube 58 downward toward. the. lower parttof the. firebox and that portion of tube. 59 which is inwfront of the tube 22 serves to. radiate heat backinto the burner.

Figure 6 illustrates an embodiment including a square-section downwardly-opening deflector 60, one side of which serves to radiate. heat back against the porous vaporizing element 28, and which hasa top opening .62 corresponding to the opening38.

While'several embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail, it will be understood that many changes mightbe made therein and :it is not intended to limitthe scope of the invention to the forms' shown or otherwise than by the terms of'. the appended claims.

Whatis claimed is:

1. In combination with a furnace having afirebox. and aside opening, a burner projecting through said side opening and adapted to discharge a flame substantially horizontally of the firebox, said burner comprising a porous block of-refractory material having horizontal parallel airpassages therethrough and opening into the firebox, and said burner having means for sup.- plying fuel to seep through the porous structure of said blockand be taken up bythe-air in said passages, and adeflector of refractory material having a part adjacentthe discharge end of the burner for deflecting a portion of the heat of the burner to. the. lowerpart of the firebox and havinga part highly heated-by theflameand radiating heat back into the burner upon the face of said porous block to heat the air and fuel mixture issuing from said passages.

2. In combination with a furnace having a firebox and a side opening, a burner projecting through said side opening and having a porous vaporizing element having passages in which air takes up fuel. seeping through said'element and adapted to discharge a flame'substantially horilO zontally of the firebox, and a deflector overlying the discharge end of the burner for deflecting a portion of the heat of the burner to the lower part of the firebox, said deflector including an integral part lying in front of the burner and highly heated by said flame to radiate heat back upon thevaporizing element.

3. In combination with a furnace having a fireboxanda side opening, a burner projecting through said side opening and adapted to discharge a flame substantially horizontally of the firebox,. and a. deflector tube secured. over. the end of1the. burnerand, having a discharge end facing downwardly to deflect heatto the lower part of the. firebox, .said. tube having an opening in .the upper. partthereofito. form .a by-pass for a portionof the combustion products.

4. In combination with a furnacehaving a firebox. and;a side opening, a burner projecting through saithside openingandadapted. to dis? charge. a. flame substantially horizontally ofu the firebox; a substantially horizontal. .deflector. plate secured" over. the.v discharge .endof the burner. to deflect heat to the lower part of the.firebox,.,and asecondjdeflector member securedrto: the. lower part'of the'burner and includinga. portion lying in.front.of..the.burner discharge to'reflect heat back-.intothe burner..

5-. In; combination with. a: furnace: having a fireboxand a side opening, .a burner projecting 40 throughisaidrside opening and having. afuel .and

air mixing .element and. adapted to discharge: a flame substantially horizontally of the. firebox, andv a .curved .tube, secured overthe. end; of' the burner. and. formed witha bell-shaped end facing downwardly and including an integral portion lying inxfront'of the burner dischargeendto radiate heat .back. into: the burner.

6; In" combination: with. a furnace having a ,firebox and aside opening, a burnerprojecting throughsaidiside opening and having a: porous element through which fuelseeps and which has means-for mixing .the fuel. and air and adapted to discharge. a flame substantially horizontally of the firebox, a curved: tube-secured over the..end

of the burnerwith itsdischarge end facing up.-

wardly and the front wall'of.:which is; highly heated by. said flame and radiates heat'back upon theface of. the mixingcelement, andaxsubstantially horizontal deflector overlying the: dis= charge. end of the tube to deflect heat'to the lower part of the firebox.

7. A fuel burner comprising ;a;;.hollow burner part from which a flame is. adaptedto'issue and asubstantially horizontal. plate secured. to said part: and" extending outwardly above. the. discharge. end thereof to deflect "heat downward and a member secured .to-ithe part'and extending outwardly below the discharge endthereof and having: an upturned portion. lying: in front of the burnerdischarge'toreflect heat back thereinto.

FRANKLIN' H. WELLS; KEMP-ER P. BRACE; 

